Dianthus plant named ‘KonD1400K6’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant named ‘KonD1400K6’, characterized by its uniformly mounding and upright to spreading plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; freely and remontant flowering habit from early spring until the autumn; dark red and light pink bi-colored single-type flowers; vernalization is not required for flowering; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KonD1400K6’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant, botanically known as Dianthus hybrida, grown commercially as a container and garden plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KonD1400K6’.

The new Dianthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Westerbrok, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new hardy Dianthus plants with remontant flowering habit with good container and garden performance.

The new Dianthus plant originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2013 of a proprietary selection of Dianthus hybrida identified as code number D13003, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Dianthus hybrida identified as code number D13013, not patented, as the male, or pollen, plant. The new Dianthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in July, 2014 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Westerbrok, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus plant by vegetive terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in West Chicago, Ill. since September, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Dianthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KonD1400K6’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KonD1400K6’ as a new and distinct Dianthus plant:

-   -   1. Uniformly mounding and upright to spreading plant habit;         dense and bushy appearance.     -   2. Freely and remontant flowering habit from early spring until         the autumn.     -   3. Dark red and light pink bi-colored single-type flowers.     -   4. No vernalization requirement for flowering.     -   5. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus flower from the early spring until         the autumn whereas plants of the female parent selection only         flower during the spring.     -   2. Flower color of plants of the new Dianthus is more intense         than and not as dull as flower color of plants of the female         parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus are not as sensitive to fungal         pathogens as plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus have stronger roots than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus have shorter peduncles than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Dianthus can also be compared to plants of Dianthus x hybrida ‘Mystic Star’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of ‘Mystic Star’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus are denser than and not as open as         plants of ‘Mystic Star’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus have dark red and light pink         bi-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Mystic Star’ have purple         and light pink bi-colored flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus have shorter peduncles than plants         of ‘Mystic Star’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dianthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dianthus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KonD1400K6’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2) is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KonD1400K6’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown during the spring in 10-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. and under cultural practices typical of commercial container Dianthus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 16° C., night temperatures averaged 13° C. and light levels averaged 2,500 foot-candles. Plants were 17 weeks old when the photographs were taken and 20 weeks old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrida ‘KonD1400K6’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             hybrida identified as code number D13003, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             hybrida identified as code number D13013, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About six to seven weeks at temperatures ranging             from 7° C. to 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color, actual             color of the roots dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer, substrate temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial, typically             grown as a container and garden plant; uniformly mounding,             upright to broadly spreading plant habit; dense and bushy             appearance; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate             growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 8 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 20 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely basal branching             habit with numerous primary lateral stems; each primary             lateral stem with secondary lateral stems potentially             forming at every node. Length, lateral stems: About 10 cm.             Diameter, lateral stems: About 2 mm. Internode length: About             5 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect, lateral stems:             Mostly outward then curving upright. Cross-section: Round,             solid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous, slightly             glaucous; matte. Color: Close to 144A to 144B slightly             tinged with close to 59A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A             to 189B; with subsequent development, close to 199A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 2.75 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 mm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly lanceolate to acicular.         -   Apex.—Sharply acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate; decurrent.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous, slightly glaucous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A to 189B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137A;             thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A giving a bluish green             appearance to the leaves; venation, close to 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Terminal and axillary             single flowers; freely flowering habit with numerous flowers             developing during the flowering season; flowers face mostly             upright.         -   Natural flowering season.—Consistent remontant flowering             habit from the early spring until the autumn in northern             Illinois; plants do not require a vernalization treatment to             initiate flowering; plants begin flowering about six to             eight weeks after planting.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; clove-like, sweet.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Oblong; styles not extruded. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 7.5 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Tube diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width, lobe: About 3 cm.             Shape: Broadly spatulate, fan-shaped. Apex: Praemorse,             shallow. Base: Elongated, tapering to a point and fused.             Margin: Mostly entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 59A; random sectors,             splashes, streaks and spots, close to 62B. When opening,             lower surface: Close to 62B to 62C. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 59A and 60A; random sectors, splashes,             streaks and spots, close to 62B and 62C; venation, similar             to lamina, with development, main color becoming closer to             60A and 61A; throat, distally, close to NN155D and             proximally, close to 144A; venation, similar to lamina. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 62B to             62C; venation, similar to lamina; color does not change with             development; throat, tube, close to NN155D and proximally,             close to 144A to 144B; venation, similar to lamina.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl; proximal 60% portion of the sepals are fused             into a tubular-shaped calyx. Calyx length: About 1.75 cm.             Calyx diameter: About 3 mm. Length: About 1.75 cm. Sepal             width, at base of “free” portion: About 1 mm. Shape:             Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Color, inner and outer surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible and wiry. Aspect: Mostly erect to             outwardly. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glaucous;             matte. Color: Close to 144A; thin waxy cuticle, close to             194A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About five stamens             per flower. Filament length: About 1.5 cm. Filament color:             Close to NN155D. Anther length: About 1.5 mm. Anther shape:             Oblong. Anther color: Close to NN155D. Pollen: None             observed. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 2 cm. Stigma diameter: Less than 1 mm. Stigma shape:             Pointed, curled. Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Style             length: About 1.75 cm. Style color: Close to NN155D. Ovary             color: Close to 144A to 144B. Fruits and seeds: To date,             fruit and seed development have not been observed on plants             of the new Dianthus. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Dianthus have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Dianthus plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5a to 9a. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘KonD1400K6’ as illustrated and described. 